Bank Holiday Getaways
Bank holidays, an opportunity taken or one wasted? A slice of lemon with a slimline and your favourite gin or a cultural sojourn? We’ve picked some food heavy spots and ideas to wave under the noses of your work mates before and after you go. Not that they will be your friends after. But that’s the key darlings – Book book. Smuggety smug.
The New Forest | Folly in the Fresh Air
Stay: The Pig at Brockenhurst. While you don’t have to be a Pig, you may risk being one by the end of it. But oh boy you will enjoy it. Home rather than hotel. Delicious breakfast with huge choice of healthy – or not so healthy in our case. Piles of newspapers, lunch in the courtyard from their pizza oven and maybe a leisurely stroll to in the New Forest – or backgammon in the bar. And the garden. Even if gardening isn’t your thing, you will be aspiring to get your veg on when you see what the green magicians have got up to here. And the Sweeties have even named all of the rows for you.
Eat: Limewood Hotel – this is the white table clothed older brother. Easy walking distance if you feel like working up an appetite.
Treat: Spa Treatments at the Pig. Located in the potting shed alongside the (extensive) walled vegetable garden at The Big. Your toes will be twinkling more than Peter Rabbit in the Carrot Patch. And they make them carrots proper down there.
Copenhagen | City Chic
Stay: Nimb Hotel, the smallest but the most beautiful hotel in the city – and recent winner of the Small Luxury Hotel of the year. The great thing is that if you suddenly get all a bit Ewan and Nicole, the Tivoli Gardens are bang next door with its crazy helter skelter and bright lights, so you can sing from the rooftops. Copenhagen can be strolled by day or night with more shops and museums and trendy little art joints to suit any tastes.
Eat: Baest. One Auree friend goes straight there from the airport. For the best mozzarella, pizza, meat – or frankly anything on their menu – it’ll have you growling like a hungry bear.
Treat: Copenhagen Opera House, take yourself to one of the most fabulous modern opera houses in the world.
Florence | Room with a view
Stay: Il Salvatino, has the breathtaking views over Florence whilst perfectly positioned just outside the city. So you get the admire the view from the peace and tranquility of the countryside too. Frescoed rooms, huge baths and a wonderful pool – this is more of a palace than a hotel frankly and why not be the Queen of it all we say.
Eat: Go into Florence and straight to Il Santo Bevitore – slow cooked food with healthy ingredients all sourced from the region – the perfect excuse to have seconds. A changing menu provides the perfect excuse to keep going back. However, the rosemary creme brûlée with chestnut ice cream is one you better hope they have forgotten to rotate, it’s worth selling your grandmother for.
Treat: Rarely open to the public, book to walk along the Vasari Corridor, a secret enclosed passageway built to allow the Medici family walk from their Pitti Palace private residence to the government Palazzo Vecchio. Cloak and Dagger optional.
Whitstable Bay | Oysters and Champagne
Sleep: Where else, but in a converted Fisherman’s Hut. Shipshape attire and beard optional.
Eat: The Sportsman, their tasting menu needs to book in advance for a reason. Fasting beforehand is recommended but equally we think training is essential if you’re running a marathon so why should this be any different?
Treat: Take a trip back in time with some Ice Cream, Rock and Penny Sweets from Sundae Sundae
Image credits: missdarcy.org, oliviapalermo.com, telegraph.co.uk, thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk,